Excerpt of the
Examination and Study Regulations
at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
for the Master Program
Clinical and Genetic Epidemiology for Professionals
Translation from German into English
Only the German version is legally valid
The examination and study regulations at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
for the Master Program Clinical and Genetic Epidemiology for Professionals are also
valid for MADE-JM students. This excerpt is tailor made for MADE-JM students and
contains parts of the examination and study regulations, relevant for MADE-JM
students.
§ 4
Central Study Counselling and Departmental Study Counselling
(1) 1The central study counselling at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München provides information and advice, especially on interdisciplinary questions. 2Students should take advantage of this service, especially before beginning their studies, when planning to change study programs, as well as in regard to all questions related to admission restrictions.
(2) 1The departmental study counselling lies within the responsibility of the faculty and is carried out by the departmental study adviser. 2The counselling covers, in particular, questions of content and timing within the study plan. 3The members of the Examination Board and/or the Examination Office provide information on questions dealing with exams or the recognition of study or examination results.
§ 10
Assessment of Module Exams and Exams for Module Parts
(1) Module exams and exams for module parts are evaluated as "passed" or "failed" or graded.(2) 1The grade for a module exam or an exam for a module part is determined by the respective examiner. 2For the assessment of module exams and exams for module parts the following grades are to be used:
Grade 1 = "very good" = excellent performance;
Grade 2 = "good" = performance that exceeds the requirements considerably; Grade 3 = "satisfactory" = performance that meets the medium requirements;
Grade 4 = "sufficient" = performance that still meets the requirements despite its deficiencies; Grade 5 = "insufficient" = performance that no longer meets the requirements due to considerable
deficiencies.
3
For a differentiated evaluation of module exams and exams for module parts grades can be raised or lowered by 0.3 to intermediary grades; the grades 0.7, 4.3, 4.7 and 5.3 are excluded. 4If a module exam or an exam for a module part is graded by several examiners or if a module exam or an exam for a module part consists of several partial exams (§ 11, Paragraph 1, Sentence 3), the overall grade of the module exam or the exam for a module part is calculated from the arithmetic mean of the individual grades. 5Only the first two digits right of the decimal are taken into account. 6In compliance with Sentence 4, the grades are specified as follows:
Up to an average of 1.50 inclusive = "very good"; From an average of 1.51 up to an average of 2.50 inclusive = "good"; From an average of 2.51 up to an average of 3.50 inclusive = "satisfactory"; From an average of 3.51 up to an average of 4.00 inclusive = "sufficient".
(3) 1The module grade is calculated from the arithmetic mean of the individual evaluations of the exams for module parts belonging to the respective module, which are graded according to the ECTS belonging to the respective module.
(4) 1If, within one module, exams for module parts are passed for more courses than are required for passing the module, only the ECTS credits required for passing the module are taken into account for the calculation of the module grade. 2Passing a module requires successful completion of:
1. The module exam or all exams for module parts assigned to the compulsory courses as specified in Attachment 2 and
2. The module exam or all exams for module parts assigned to the necessary required elective courses as specified in Attachment 2.
3
If exams for module parts are completed for more than the required number, according to Sentence 2, Number 2, of required elective courses, the examination completed at the earliest date is, subject to § 8, Paragraph 3, considered required in the sense of Sentence 2. 4Among exams for module parts assigned to required elective courses the following are taken into account:
1. Those passed at the earliest date, if the examinations were completed in different semesters, 2. Those passed with a better grade, if the examinations were completed in the same semester.
5
If the successful completion of exams of module parts assigned to a required elective course leads to the fact that the number of credits assigned to the respective module is exceeded for the first time, the ECTS credits of that course are only taken into account in so far as the number of ECTS credits assigned to the respective module is not exceeded.
§ 11
Passing, Failing, and Repeating Module Exams and Exams for Module Parts
(1) 1A module exam or exam for a module part is passed, if it is evaluated
1. As "passed" or
2. As at least "sufficient" (4.0).
2
Module exams and exams for module parts shall, subject to § 31, be passed, at the latest, by the end of the semester. 3Module exams and exams for module parts are passed if, subject to § 31, all partial requirements are successfully completed by the end of the semester of study that follows the scheduled date, at the latest.
(3) Module exams and exams for module parts are also passed, if the requirements of Paragraphs 1 and 2 are not fulfilled in the period of time stipulated, but are fulfilled according to Paragraph 6 or in a repetition valid in compliance with these examination and study regulations.
(4) 1Module exams or exams for module parts are failed, if they were taken in whole or in part but not passed.
2
Module exams or exams for module parts are irrevocably failed, if they were taken in whole or in part but not passed, and their further repetition is not permitted.
(5) 1Module exams and exams for module parts are, subject to § 31, considered
1. Taken and failed, if they are not successfully completed by the end of the semester of study following the expiration of the scheduled date for reasons within the student´s control and
2. Irrevocably failed, if they are not successfully completed by the end of the third semester of study following the expiration of the scheduled date for reasons within the student´s control.
3
Reasons that could justify exceeding the deadlines specified in Sentence 1 and/or 2 must immediately be presented and made plausible in writing to the Examination Office as soon as they arise. 4In the case of illness a medical attestation must be presented; a certificate of incapacity for work is not sufficient. 5In individual cases or in general, the Examination Office can demand the presentation of an attestation by a public health officer or a doctor specified by the Examination Office. 6If the reason is accepted, a new date for the exam is set. 7In the case of module exams and exams for module parts that can be taken in parts, already existing examination results are to be recognized.
(6) 1A module exam or an exam for a module part that was failed for the first time is considered not taken, if it is taken entirely after uninterrupted studies by the end of the semester defined in Paragraph 1, Sentence 2 as the scheduled date or the semester being considered the scheduled date according to Paragraph 2, Sentence 1 at the latest (free attempt). 2Periods of study of other universities, study programs or fields of study recognized according to these examination and study regulations are taken into account in regard of the total period of study.
concerning higher education (BayHSchG)) as well as periods that fulfil the requirements of § 31 or during which the respective student could not take part in a module exam or an exam for a module part for other reasons not within his or her control are not taken into account. 4Paragraph 5, Sentences 3 to 5 are correspondingly valid
5
Partial requirements passed in the free attempt are taken into account. 6Module exams, exams for module parts or partial requirements that were completed in the free attempt can be retaken for grade improvement once at the next possible regular date; the better grade counts. 7Sentences 1 to 6 are not valid for the Master thesis (§ 14) and the disputation (§ 15).
(7) 1For each module exam and exam for a module part with the exception of the Master thesis (§ 14) and the disputation (§ 15) a total of four attempts is offered without prejudice to Paragraph 6. 2The first attempt is offered during or immediately after the lecture period of the last semester during which the student participates in courses which are subject of the module exam or exam for a module part. 3The second attempt is offered during the course of the same semester in the sense of Sentence 2 in time for the requirements of § 25, Paragraph 2 to be fulfilled. 4The third attempt is offered during or immediately after the lecture period of the semester during which the course the student did not pass is held for the next time. 5For the fourth attempt Sentence 3 is correspondingly valid.
(8) 1Students, who fail a module exam or an exam for a module part, must, in advance of their last attempt to pass this module exam or exam for a module part, have the opportunity to repeat the course(s) assigned to this module exam or exam for a module part. 2For each module exam or exam for a module part the students are offered at least two attempts within two semesters.
(9) Repetition of a module exam or exam for a module part previously passed for the purpose of grade improvement is, without prejudice to Paragraph 6, not permitted.
(10) The evaluation acquired in a module exam or an exam for a module part and the acquired ECTS credits can, in the sense of § 6, Paragraph 1, Sentence 1, be credited only once in this Master program.
2. Special Module Exams and Exams for Module Parts
§ 14
Master Thesis
(5) 1The supervisor is obligated to
1. Issue the topic of the Master thesis and 2. Evaluate the Master thesis in due time
so that the evaluation is available to the Examination Office two weeks before the end of the student´s last semester of study at the latest.
(8) 1The Master thesis must be submitted to the Examination Office in three copies in due time; the date of submission is to be recorded. 2On submission of the Master thesis, the examinees have to certify in writing that their thesis has been independently written and no other resources and auxiliary help sources aside from those cited were used. 3The Examination Board can determine in general or in individual cases that the Master thesis must also be submitted electronically; in this case the Examination Board shall set the technical requirements.
4
The Master thesis can also be submitted in English and in the form of a publication manuscript for a peer- reviewed journal. 5In this case, additional information, analyses and tables are to be included in an appendix for a comprehensive evaluation of the thesis. 6The publication manuscript may be provided to a publishing house, journal or any other body only after the evaluation of the Master thesis is completed. 7Exceptions must in due time be requested from and approved by the Examination Board.
(10) 1If, after evaluation, the Master thesis is deemed to be less than "sufficient" (4.0), it can be repeated once at the next possible date. 2The topic of the Master thesis can, however, only be returned in the period of time specified in Paragraph 4, Sentence 4, if the student had not used this option when working on his or her first thesis.
§ 15
Disputation
1
The disputation is an exam for a module part. 2The examination subject of the disputation is the Master thesis. 3A failed disputation can be repeated once at the next possible date.
3. Forms of Examination
§ 16
Oral Module Exams and Exams for Module Parts
(1) 1In oral module exams and exams for module parts the students shall prove that they understand the
interconnections of the examined field and have the ability to place specific questions in their context within these interconnections. 2In addition, it is to be determined whether the student possesses the fundamental knowledge corresponding to the level of the Master program.
(3) 1The main subjects and results of the oral module exam or exam for a module part are to be recorded in a protocol. 2The result is to be announced to the student subsequent to the oral module exam or exam for a module part.
§ 17
Written Examinations
(1) 1Through written examinations, the students must prove that they are able to solve problems and treat topics with methods specific to their field of specialization during a limited period of time and using limited auxiliary help sources on the basis of the necessary fundamental knowledge. 2A choice of topics can be offered to the student; an entitlement to this choice does not exist.
(3) 1Written module exams and exams for module parts may, in whole or in part, also be placed in a form that requires the examinees to indicate which of the answers given them with the questions they believe to be correct (response choice system). 2The examination questions must facilitate reliable examination results. 3All examinees must receive the same examination questions. 4On creation of the examination questions it has to be determined which answers will be accepted as correct. 5The creator(s) of the examination questions must check whether the examination questions are deficient in respect to the commands of Sentence 2 before the examination results are determined. 6If this review of the examination questions shows that individual examination questions are deficient, these are not to be taken into account when determining the examination result. 7The number of examination questions for the individual module exam and exam for a module part will be reduced correspondingly. 8For the evaluation of the written module exam or exam for a module part according to Paragraph 4, Sentence 1 the reduced number of examination questions is to be used. 9The reduction of the number of examination questions
(4) 1Written module exams and exams for module parts according to Paragraph 3, Sentence 1 that consist of single choice questions (exactly one of the total n suggested answers is correct – "1 out of n") are passed, if
1. the examinee answered a minimum of 60 per cent of the examination questions placed correctly in total or 2. the examinee answered a minimum of 50 per cent of the examination questions placed correctly in total and
if the number of questions answered correctly by the student is no more than 15 per cent lower than the average examination performance of those examinees who took the respective examination for the first time.
2
If Sentence 1, Number 2 is applied, the dean of the faculty is to be notified. 3If the examinee reached the minimum number of correctly answered examination questions required for passing the exam according to Sentence 1, the grade is
1. "Very good", if at least 75 per cent,
2. "Good", if at least 50 but less than 75 per cent, 3. "Satisfactory", if at least 25 but less than 50 per cent, 4. "Sufficient", if none or less than 25 per cent
of the examination questions placed in addition to that were answered correctly by the examinee.
(5) 1For exams that consist of multiple choice questions according to Paragraph 3, Sentence 1 (an unknown number of x suggested answers between 0 and n of a total of n suggested answers is correct – "x out of n") Paragraph 4 is valid with the stipulation that instead of the ratio between the correctly answered examination questions and the total number of examination questions, the ratio between the sum of raw points achieved by the examinee and the best performance possible is decisive. 2Each multiple choice question is assigned an
evaluation value, which corresponds to the number of suggested answers (n) and can be multiplied by a weighting factor for the individual multiple choice question. 3For each multiple choice question, the examinee receives a basic evaluation, which corresponds to the evaluation value if the examinee´s choice of suggested answers is absolutely consistent with the answers accepted as correct. 4For each chosen or not chosen suggested answer that is consistent with the answer accepted as correct or incorrect respectively, the examinee receives one point for the basic evaluation. 5If an answer accepted as correct is not chosen by the examinee or an answer accepted as incorrect is chosen by the examinee, he or she receives one minus point for the basic evaluation. 6The basic evaluation cannot go below zero points. 7The raw points are calculated from the basic evaluation multiplied by the respective weighting factor of the multiple choice question. 8The overall best performance possible is calculated from the sum of the products of all evaluation values and the respective weighting factors of all multiple choice questions.
(6) For written module exams and exams for module parts, which are only partially conducted using the response choice system, Paragraphs 3 to 5 are only valid for the respective parts concerned.
(7) 1A written module exam or exam for a module part can also be conducted in electronic form. 2The type and extent of the electronic examination are announced by the course teacher at the beginning of the course.
3
Students will be allowed sufficient time to familiarize themselves with the electronic examination system during the course. 4The applicable legal conditions for data protection are to be adhered to.
§ 18
Other Forms of Module Exams and Exams for Module Parts
(1) 1A home assignment is to be submitted in written form as continuous text.2
§ 14, Paragraph 8, Sentence 3 is correspondingly valid.
§ 19
Passing and Failing the Master Examination
(1) The Master examination should normally be completed successfully by the end of the second semester of study.
(2) 1The Master examination is completed successfully if, by the end of the third semester of study at the latest, 1. All module exams or exams for module parts of the compulsory modules and the required elective modules
have been passed and
2. The required number of 60 ECTS credits has been achieved.
(2) The Master examination is also completed successfully, if the requirements of Paragraph 1 are not fulfilled in the period of time stipulated, but are fulfilled according to § 11, Paragraph 6 or by a repetition valid in compliance with these examination and study regulations.
(3) The Master examination is irrevocably failed, if a module exam or exam for a module part of one of the compulsory modules or required elective modules was taken but not passed, § 11, Paragraph 6 does not permit another attempt and further repetition of this exam is not possible.
(4) 1The Master examination is, subject to § 11, Paragraphs 6 and 8 as well as § 31, considered